While the nut milk options on the market are getting better, it can still be hard to avoid additives like guar gum and carrageenan in packaged versions. These shelf-stabilizers can wreak havoc on even the healthiest of guts—while they're fine for occasional consumption, if you're using nut milk in your smoothies, baked goods, healthy hot chocolates and more, it can be a lot to stomach (see what we did there?). The best options are made from two ingredients: a seed or nut and water (OK, and maybe a little sea salt thrown in), but these can be expensive and difficult to find.

So what's a dairy-avoiding person to do? You can go the traditional route and soak almonds for 12 to 24 hours before draining, rinsing, peeling the skin off and blending, but if, like me, you're not quite that good of a planner (let's call it charmingly spontaneous), that's likely not going to happen.

Never fear—the lazy AF nondairy milk is here. These are my three favorite ways to make instant nut or seed milk, no soaking necessary. You can store all of these in the fridge for up to a week, and they can all be used as you'd use any milk. If you'd like to make any of them sweetened, you can add a drizzle of maple syrup, honey, or coconut syrup or a few pitted medjool dates, soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes then drained, to your blender before whizzing up.

1-Step Almond Milk

This hack uses almond butter instead of actual almonds, but you'll be shocked by just how much it tastes like normal almond milk (and you're still getting all of that skin-loving Vitamin E!).

Ingredients

3 tablespoons almond butter of choice (I prefer raw, but roasted works fine as well—just make sure it has only one ingredient: almonds!)

2 cups water

Pinch of salt

Method

Add all ingredients to blender (with sweetener, if using: See note above). Blend until very smooth. Makes 2 cups milk that can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.

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Hemp Milk

Hemp seeds are a great source of omega-3s and complete protein—plus, they're tiny and soft and don't take well to soaking (all the better for the lazy among us!).

Ingredients

¾ cup hulled hemp seeds (also called hemp hearts)

2 cups water

Pinch of salt

Method

Add all ingredients to blender (with sweetener, if using: See note above). Blend until very smooth. You can strain this one through a clean, thin dishtowel or a nut milk bag, but I don't find it necessary—I just shake well before using again. Makes 2 cups milk that can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.

Homemade Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is one of my favorites, as it's thick, creamy, and faintly sweet—and it's filled with lauric acid, which is antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial!

Ingredients

1 cup dried, shredded coconut

2 cups water

Pinch of salt

Method

Add all ingredients to blender (with sweetener, if using: See note above). Blend until very smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, or a clean, thin dishtowel or a nut milk bag, doing a milking motion, discarding the pulp and retaining the liquid. Makes 2 cups milk that can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.